Tomorrow marks the playoff final, and on the sidelines will be Rubén Fontes, a multifaceted figure serving as delegate for UD Las Palmas, honorary general consul of Turkey in the Archipelago, and a three-time winner of LaLiga's 'Grammy' award for Best Delegate. Fontes, also director of the Gran Canarian club's Medical Center, has held various roles throughout his life, including working as an undertaker and photographing migrant boats.
Fontes, who joined the club in 2018, has been recognized with the Luis Gil Torres award for Best Second Division Delegate twice (seasons 23-24 and 25-26) and once in the First Division (24-25). He dedicates these awards "to the fans" and "above all to my family," emphasizing the "teamwork" and "collaboration of kit men, as well as members of the medical service, staff, and players" in facilitating the work of the referees, who grant the award.
The delegate, also known for his time with the iconic 'Peaky Blinders' cap, which he gifted to a fan, recalls a notable anecdote from the 22-23 season at the Municipal de Cartagonova, where a substitution error, "with Pimienta," was ultimately overshadowed by the team's direct promotion. Fontes also dedicates his latest recognition to president Ramírez, highlighting his "example of behavior towards referees" and thanking the "confidence placed" by the refereeing body, which he was part of in his youth.
Fontes' work has also been acknowledged by Turkish diplomacy. On May 20th, Nüket Küçükel Ezberci, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Spain, visited the Archipelago and "warmly" congratulated him on his conduct, expressing her "most sincere gratitude for the magnificent program" organized during her official visit.
Regarding his past, Fontes has clarified on several occasions that he is not "Ramírez's" appointee. He has championed his time as an undertaker, describing it as "one of the professions that enriched me most as a person" for "helping others in the most critical moments." He also covered the arrival of immigration on the coasts of Fuerteventura as a press photographer between 2004 and 2007.
The football governing body, through LaLiga, acknowledges his "daily work and his role in the proper development of competitions," calling him a "fundamental figure in the club's operations." The new honorary consul of Turkey aims to achieve promotion to the First Division to dedicate it to his late father, thus concluding a "good year."
